1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of releasible buckles such as those used for securing a strap to a post on a piece of sporting equipment. The invention pertains more specifically to a highly secure locking buckle especially suited to applications requiring resistance to severe forces and yet quick and easy release when release is desired.
2. Background Art
Quick release buckles have become prolific in sports equipment. There are a large number of applications in golf equipment and diving equipment for example where quick release, strap locking buckles are used advantageously for securing various kinds of equipment. Such equipment includes for example, golf bags and buoyancy jackets both of which have buckled straps for carrying or securing equipment. Buckles for such applications have to be capable of resisting a modest amount of force and yet be easily released to permit quick unbuckling. Moreover, in some applications, the buckle must be both lockable and releasible with only one hand. One such one-hand application is the swim fin strap. Furthermore, a swim fin strap is subject to especially high forces due to the nature of the use of swim fins, namely, being forced up and down in water to propel a diver or snorkeler. In order to facilitate one-hand operation, a swim fin buckle strap will have a buckle at each end for attachment to a fixed post or pin which is affixed on each side of the fin. The buckle for attachment to such posts or pins, must be easy to attach, capable of withstanding constant tension and very high and frequent peak forces which would readily force open conventional strap buckles.
It would thus be highly advantageous to have a strap connecting buckle capable of one-hand operation for connection to a post or pin and designed for withstanding extreme forces of tension while still being easy to connect and to disconnect.
The present invention comprises a one-hand operated strap buckle capable of withstanding high forces and yet simple to operate and easily connected to a post and disconnected from a post. In a preferred embodiment, the buckle comprises upper and lower cases, the latter forming a slot for receiving a post with a flat head. When connected to a post, the buckle is secured to the post by a pair of swing arms terminating at locking hooks. The position of the swing arms is normally closed, but may be readily altered to an open position by a pair of opposed spring-loaded release tabs which when compressed toward one another, open the swing arms and separate the locking hooks. The buckle of the invention also comprises a strap release which is spring-loaded and normally engages the teeth of a strap by employing a spring-loaded catch which can be rotated away from the strap with tilting of the strap release around a fulcrum bearing. The locking hooks of the preferred embodiment, when in their locked position, assure a secure connection to the post which connection can withstand very high forces. Yet the locking hooks are easily separated when it is desired to release the strap from the post by simply squeezing the release tabs towards one another.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a strap connecting buckle especially suited for quick connection to and release from a fixed post for one-hand operation.
It is another object of the invention to provide a quick release strap buckle which can withstand high tensile stress without inadvertent release.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a strap buckle suitable for one-hand operation for connection to and release from a stationary post by simple compression of a pair of opposed release tabs.